Introdução: a incidência de obesidade tem crescido em todo o mundo e está subjacente ao desenvolvimento de várias doenças, incluindo as cardiovasculares, diabetes e inflamação. Novas pesquisas têm surgido para investigar formas de retardar o desenvolvimento dessa doença e, recentemente, foi possível observar um maior interesse pelo potencial papel das plantas medicinais. Dentre várias espécies estudadas, tem-se a Cúrcuma Longa L, sobre a qual já foram realizados inúmeros estudos demonstrando suas atividades antioxidantes, anti-inflamatórias e anticancerigenas atribuídas à curcumina, que é o pigmento predominante. Evidências sugerem que a curcumina pode regular o metabolismo lipídico, além de desempenhar um papel importante na obesidade. Objetivo: o objetivo do presente trabalho foi investigar a influência da cúrcuma na adiposidade corporal, no perfil lipídico e glicídico em modelos animais de camundongo C57BL/6 alimentados com dieta hiperlipídica. Metodologia: avaliaram-se 40 camundongos C57BL/6, os quais foram separados em quatro grupos: dieta padrão (DP), dieta padrão com cúrcuma (DPC), dieta hiperlipídica (DH) e dieta hiperlipídica com cúrcuma (DHC). Durante um período de 8 semanas, os grupos DPC e DHC receberam suplementação diária, adicionada à dieta, de cúrcuma na dosagem de 8 mg/animal/dia. Durante o experimento, foi avaliado o peso corporal semanalmente e a ingestão alimentar diariamente. Foi realizado o teste de tolerância à glicose (GTT) com os animais na última semana de experimento, após jejum de 10 horas, e o teste de sensibilidade à insulina (ITT) foi realizado 4 dias antecedentes ao GTT, após jejum de 6 horas. Ao final do estudo, os animais foram sacrificados e foram coletadas amostras sanguíneas para dosagem de glicemia, insulina e lipidograma, além dos tecidos: hepático, adiposo epididimal, marrom, retroperitoneal e pâncreas. Todos os testes de hipóteses desenvolvidos neste trabalho consideraram uma significância de 5%. As análises foram feitas por ANOVA, ANOVA Two Way e Tukey. Resultados: em relação ao ganho de peso, houve diferença estatisticamente significante no grupo DPC (34,6%), quando comparado ao grupo DHC (78,3%). Para a ingestão, o grupo DPC teve maior ingestão desde a primeira semana. Para as variáveis triglicérides, HDL-colesterol, colesterol sérico, glicemia capilar e insulina, não houve diferença. Na dosagem de glicemia sérica, houve diferença estatisticamente dignificante entre os grupos DPC (145,01±14,25) e DHC (227,76±25,4); DH (189,63±24,3) e DHC (227,76±25,4).O peso do tecido adiposo marrom foi estatisticamente significante entre os grupos DP (0,15±0,07) e DPC (0,24±0,06), DP (0,15±0,07) e DH (0,28±0,06). Para o peso do tecido adiposo epididimal, encontraram-se valores significativamente menores no grupo DPC (1,09±0,32), quando comparado ao DHC (4,36±0,84). Para a histologia, foi possível observar que não houve alterações significantes no fígado de nenhum dos grupos, porém, no pâncreas dos animais suplementados, foi possível verificar uma esteatose macro e microgoticular em 60% da amostra. Conclusão: a cúrcuma preveniu o ganho de peso corporal dos animais de dieta padrão suplementada, uma vez que tiveram um consumo alimentar significativamente maior e ganharam menos peso, além de ter aumentado tecido marrom no mesmo grupo. Porém, são necessários novos estudos para confirmar essa possível toxicidade da cúrcuma para o pâncreas. / Introduction: Obesity has increased worldwide, which is subjacent to the development of several diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and inflammation. Recent studies have been investigating forms of delaying the development of this disease and, recently, it was possible to observe a greater interest in the potential role of medicinal plants. Among various studied species is Curcuma longa L, which has been widely researched, allowing studies to show its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities granted by turmeric, which is the predominant pigment. Evidences suggest that turmeric is capable of regulating the lipid metabolism, as well as playing an important role towards obesity. Objective: this study aimed at investigating the influence of turmeric on the body adiposity, the lipid and glucose profiles in C57BL/6 mice on a high-fat diet. Methods: 40 C57BL/6 mice were evaluated, which were separated into four groups: standard diet (SD), standard diet with turmeric (SDT), high-fat diet (HD) and high-fat diet with turmeric (HDT). During eight weeks, SDT and HDT groups were provided with daily nutritional supplementation, in addition to the diet, of turmeric, 8 mg/animal/day. During the experiment, body weight was weekly evaluated, and food ingestion, daily. The glucose tolerance test (GTT) was applied to the animals in the last week of experiment, after a ten-hour fasting period, and the insulin tolerance test (ITT) was applied four days before the GTT, after a six-hour fasting period. At the end of the study, the animals were sacrificed, and blood samples were collected in order to obtain blood glucose, insulin and lipid profile, as well as liver, adipose epididymal, brown, retroperitoneal and pancreas tissues. All the hypotheses tests developed in this study considered a significance of 5%. The analyses were conducted by ANOVA, ANOVA Two Way and Tukey. Results: regarding weight gain, there was a statistically significant difference in group SDT (34,6%) when compared to group HDT (78,3%). For ingestion, group SDT had a higher ingestion since the first week. For the variables: triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, serum cholesterol, capillary blood glucose and insulin, no difference was observed. Regarding the serum glycemia dosage, there was a statistically significant difference among groups SDT (145,01±14,25) and HDT (227,76±25,4); HD (189,63±24,3) and HDT (227,76±25,4). The weight of the brown adipose tissue was statistically significant among groups SD (0,15±0,07) and SDT (0,24±0,06), SD (0,15±0,07) and HD (0,28±0,06). Regarding the weight of the epididymal adipose tissue, significantly lower values were found in group SDT (1,09±0,32), when compared to HDT (4,36±0,84). Regarding histology, it was possible to observe that no significant alteration was found in the liver in any group, however, with regard to the pancreas of the supplemented animals, it was possible to verify a macro and microgoticular steatosis in 60% of the sample. Conclusion: turmeric prevented the body weight gain of the animals with standard supplemented diet, considering the fact that they had a significantly greater food intake and gained less weight, and the brown tissue was increased in the same group. However, new studies are necessary in order to confirm this possible toxicity of turmeric for pancreas.

Introdução: a incidência de obesidade tem crescido em todo o mundo e está subjacente ao desenvolvimento de várias doenças, incluindo as cardiovasculares, diabetes e inflamação. Novas pesquisas têm surgido para investigar formas de retardar o desenvolvimento dessa doença e, recentemente, foi possível observar um maior interesse pelo potencial papel das plantas medicinais. Dentre várias espécies estudadas, tem-se a Cúrcuma Longa L, sobre a qual já foram realizados inúmeros estudos demonstrando suas atividades antioxidantes, anti-inflamatórias e anticancerigenas atribuídas à curcumina, que é o pigmento predominante. Evidências sugerem que a curcumina pode regular o metabolismo lipídico, além de desempenhar um papel importante na obesidade. Objetivo: o objetivo do presente trabalho foi investigar a influência da cúrcuma na adiposidade corporal, no perfil lipídico e glicídico em modelos animais de camundongo C57BL/6 alimentados com dieta hiperlipídica. Metodologia: avaliaram-se 40 camundongos C57BL/6, os quais foram separados em quatro grupos: dieta padrão (DP), dieta padrão com cúrcuma (DPC), dieta hiperlipídica (DH) e dieta hiperlipídica com cúrcuma (DHC). Durante um período de 8 semanas, os grupos DPC e DHC receberam suplementação diária, adicionada à dieta, de cúrcuma na dosagem de 8 mg/animal/dia. Durante o experimento, foi avaliado o peso corporal semanalmente e a ingestão alimentar diariamente. Foi realizado o teste de tolerância à glicose (GTT) com os animais na última semana de experimento, após jejum de 10 horas, e o teste de sensibilidade à insulina (ITT) foi realizado 4 dias antecedentes ao GTT, após jejum de 6 horas. Ao final do estudo, os animais foram sacrificados e foram coletadas amostras sanguíneas para dosagem de glicemia, insulina e lipidograma, além dos tecidos: hepático, adiposo epididimal, marrom, retroperitoneal e pâncreas. Todos os testes de hipóteses desenvolvidos neste trabalho consideraram uma significância de 5%. As análises foram feitas por ANOVA, ANOVA Two Way e Tukey. Resultados: em relação ao ganho de peso, houve diferença estatisticamente significante no grupo DPC (34,6%), quando comparado ao grupo DHC (78,3%). Para a ingestão, o grupo DPC teve maior ingestão desde a primeira semana. Para as variáveis triglicérides, HDL-colesterol, colesterol sérico, glicemia capilar e insulina, não houve diferença. Na dosagem de glicemia sérica, houve diferença estatisticamente dignificante entre os grupos DPC (145,01±14,25) e DHC (227,76±25,4); DH (189,63±24,3) e DHC (227,76±25,4).O peso do tecido adiposo marrom foi estatisticamente significante entre os grupos DP (0,15±0,07) e DPC (0,24±0,06), DP (0,15±0,07) e DH (0,28±0,06). Para o peso do tecido adiposo epididimal, encontraram-se valores significativamente menores no grupo DPC (1,09±0,32), quando comparado ao DHC (4,36±0,84). Para a histologia, foi possível observar que não houve alterações significantes no fígado de nenhum dos grupos, porém, no pâncreas dos animais suplementados, foi possível verificar uma esteatose macro e microgoticular em 60% da amostra. Conclusão: a cúrcuma preveniu o ganho de peso corporal dos animais de dieta padrão suplementada, uma vez que tiveram um consumo alimentar significativamente maior e ganharam menos peso, além de ter aumentado tecido marrom no mesmo grupo. Porém, são necessários novos estudos para confirmar essa possível toxicidade da cúrcuma para o pâncreas. / Introduction: Obesity has increased worldwide, which is subjacent to the development of several diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and inflammation. Recent studies have been investigating forms of delaying the development of this disease and, recently, it was possible to observe a greater interest in the potential role of medicinal plants. Among various studied species is Curcuma longa L, which has been widely researched, allowing studies to show its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities granted by turmeric, which is the predominant pigment. Evidences suggest that turmeric is capable of regulating the lipid metabolism, as well as playing an important role towards obesity. Objective: this study aimed at investigating the influence of turmeric on the body adiposity, the lipid and glucose profiles in C57BL/6 mice on a high-fat diet. Methods: 40 C57BL/6 mice were evaluated, which were separated into four groups: standard diet (SD), standard diet with turmeric (SDT), high-fat diet (HD) and high-fat diet with turmeric (HDT). During eight weeks, SDT and HDT groups were provided with daily nutritional supplementation, in addition to the diet, of turmeric, 8 mg/animal/day. During the experiment, body weight was weekly evaluated, and food ingestion, daily. The glucose tolerance test (GTT) was applied to the animals in the last week of experiment, after a ten-hour fasting period, and the insulin tolerance test (ITT) was applied four days before the GTT, after a six-hour fasting period. At the end of the study, the animals were sacrificed, and blood samples were collected in order to obtain blood glucose, insulin and lipid profile, as well as liver, adipose epididymal, brown, retroperitoneal and pancreas tissues. All the hypotheses tests developed in this study considered a significance of 5%. The analyses were conducted by ANOVA, ANOVA Two Way and Tukey. Results: regarding weight gain, there was a statistically significant difference in group SDT (34,6%) when compared to group HDT (78,3%). For ingestion, group SDT had a higher ingestion since the first week. For the variables: triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, serum cholesterol, capillary blood glucose and insulin, no difference was observed. Regarding the serum glycemia dosage, there was a statistically significant difference among groups SDT (145,01±14,25) and HDT (227,76±25,4); HD (189,63±24,3) and HDT (227,76±25,4). The weight of the brown adipose tissue was statistically significant among groups SD (0,15±0,07) and SDT (0,24±0,06), SD (0,15±0,07) and HD (0,28±0,06). Regarding the weight of the epididymal adipose tissue, significantly lower values were found in group SDT (1,09±0,32), when compared to HDT (4,36±0,84). Regarding histology, it was possible to observe that no significant alteration was found in the liver in any group, however, with regard to the pancreas of the supplemented animals, it was possible to verify a macro and microgoticular steatosis in 60% of the sample. Conclusion: turmeric prevented the body weight gain of the animals with standard supplemented diet, considering the fact that they had a significantly greater food intake and gained less weight, and the brown tissue was increased in the same group. However, new studies are necessary in order to confirm this possible toxicity of turmeric for pancreas.

In this project, the effects of dietary polyphenols on exercise-induced muscle damage and vascular health are examined. Dietary polyphenols exert well-known anti-inflammatory effects; however, how these effects are realized with respect to vascular health and EIMD is relatively unknown. I begin by reviewing the available literature surrounding the impact of three dietary polyphenols (curcumin, catechins, and quercetin) on inflammation associated with EIMD. It is well established that their primary means of anti-inflammation is through alterations of NF-κB and AP-1 transcription activities. Given this, their inclusion into training strategies seems reasonable. Consistent evidence is presented making a case for the anti-inflammatory effects of dietary polyphenols following EIMD. I follow this review up by completing an in-depth study on the consumption of curcumin prior to EIMD. I found curcumin (1000 mg/day) can reduce subjective soreness and decrease inflammation compared to placebo controls. To further understand the effects of dietary polyphenols on health, I investigate the effects of a four-week supplementation period of cocoa (catechins) on vascular. I concluded that atherogenic risk in obese women is reduced after consumption of cocoa. In addition to these experimental projects, I developed two novel methods that can be used to investigate vascular health (EMP concentration) and intracellular protein and mRNA production using flow cytometry.